December 24, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
259 
NOVELTIES for TO 
The following SPLENDID NOVELTIES are my 
own Introductions for 1888, and are now offered for 
the first time. 
Sold only in Sealed Packets bearing my Trade Mark. 
AGERATUM,“ABA BOWMAN” (NEW) 
This new variety was raised at Hylands Park 
three years ago. It is without doubt the finest 
Ageratum grown for bedding purposes. It 
blooms in masses from the time of planting out 
until it is cut down by the frost, and requires 
no pegging, as it is only 9J ins. high ; the 
trusses measure from 6 to 7 ins. across. It is 
of a very effective and telling delicate blue 
colour. It is a most valuable acquisition when 
propagated in pots in the autumn for early 
winter flowering. Its freedom in blooming is 
so pronounced that each pot is quite a ball of 
flower, and continues so to the middle of 
January.. per packet 1 6 
PRIMULA SINENSIS FIMBRIATA, 
“MAGENTA (JUEEN” (Newl 
This new variety is of very compact habit 
of growth, very vigorous and robust; the leaves 
are of a dark green colour. The blooms are 
very large, measuring upwards of 2£ ins. in 
diameter ; they are of very good substance 
and a bright magenta colour, with a small 
bright lemon eye. It is quite a new colour in 
Primulas, and its distinctness is very pro¬ 
nounced when associated with other kinds, 
per packet 5 0 
Journal of Horticulture of February 12th, 1SS7, 
says, “ Williams' Magenta Queen Primula has 
been sent for our inspection from the Holloway 
Nurseries. It is very fine indeed—large, well-formed, 
of good substance ; and the colour, rich magenta, 
showing as well under artificial light as in the day. 
This excellent Primula is equally valuable for con¬ 
servatory and for room decoration.” 
Gardeners' Magazine of February 12tli, 1SS7, says, 
“Primula Magenta Queen, which was presented 
in admirable condition at the meeting of the R.H.S. 
on Tuesday by Mr. B. S. Williams, who has in¬ 
troduced it, is a most desirable addition to the 
numerous varieties at present in cultivation. As in 
the case of other first-class strains, the habit is good 
and the flowers large in size and of high quality, its 
distinguishing characteristic being its colour, which 
is a singularly bright and effective shade of magenta.” 
STOCK, INTERMEDIATE, 
WILLIAMS’“CRIMSON GEM” (New) 
This variety, on account of its charming and 
decided colour, is an acquisition of considerable 
merit, as it is a great advance in richness and 
brilliancy of colour upon any known kind of 
Stock. It will be found very serviceable for 
spring bedding, window boxes or pots, where 
it will produce a wonderfully fine and pleasing 
effect. It is of dwarf compact habit; the 
central spike and lateral branches produce a 
great profusion of very rich crimson blooms of 
very large size ... ... ... per packet 2 6 
MELON, “ HAMSTEAD PARK 
SEEDLING” (New). 
This fine new variety is a cross between 
Golden Perfection and Victory of Bristol. The 
raiser speaks very highly of it, and says that 
it does as well in a pit as in the Melon house. 
It is a first-rate setter and a very strong grower, 
and never shows any signs of canker at the 
collar. It is round in shape, very handsome, 
and beautifully netted. The flesh is of a very 
pale scarlet colour, about 3 ins. in depth, with 
very delicious flavour. The fruit weighs from 
4 to 8 lbs. each ... .. per packet 2 6 
ILLUSTRATED SEED CATALOGUE for 1888 
is now ready, and voill he forwarded gratis and post 
free to all applicants. 
Victoria and Paradise Nurseries, 
UPPER HOLLOWAY, LONDON, N. 
NOW READY, 
CARTERS 5 
Registered Trade Mark 
SEND ONE SHILLING FOR A CATALOGUE. 
§§ HIGH HOLBORN, LONO0I. 
Fa? the Best Novelties of the 
Season see 
SUTTON’S 
AMATEURS’ 
GUIDE FOR 1888 . 
NOW READY , price 1\- post free. Gratis to 
customers ordering goods value 20iancl upwards. 
FtrOM READING. 
Next Week’s Engagements. 
Wednesday, December 2Sth.—Sale of Hardy Plants, Bulbs, &e., 
at Stevens’ Rooms. 
Thursday, December 29th.—Sale of Lily Bulbs at Stevens 
Rooms. Sale of Lilium auratum Bulbs, Roses, Plants, &c., 
at Protheroe & Morris’s Rooms. 
Saturday, December 31st.—Sale of Hardy Plants, Bulbs, &e., 
at Stevens’ Rooms. 
CONTENTS. 
PAGE 
Amateurs’ Garden. 263 
Apple, history of the .... 266 
Apple tree, Romance of an 266 
Begonias, winter-flowering 269 
Camellias dropping their 
buds . 264 
Cattleyas,winter growths of 269 
Christmas, 1887 . 259 
Chrysanthenium Mrs. H. 
Cannell. 265 
Chrysanthemum Emily Dale 268 
Chrysanthemum Flower 
Classes . 262 
Cordon system of training 267 
Covent Garden . 261 
Flower Land . 260 
Fruit tree nomenclature .. 26S 
PAGE 
Gardeners’ Calendar. 269 
Grasses, Ornamental. 261 
Hanging or Basket Plants 267 
Holly at Christmas . 262 
Horticultural Societies.... 270 
Obituary . 270 
Peach Trees Dropping Their 
Buds . 268 
Pelargonium lateripes .... 26S 
Pteris Claphamensis. 26S 
Rose Growing. 260 
Scottish Notes. 263 
Trial Trees at Chiswick .. 260 
Vanda. 270 
Viola, Holyrood. 269 
Wild Flowers . 260 
Winter Flowers at Swanley 264 
“ Gardening is the purest of human pleasures, and the greatest 
refreshment to the spirit of man.”— Bacon. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1S87. 
Christmas, 1887.—Even if no other associa¬ 
tion attaches to Christmas than its place in 
the calendar, the fact that it indicates the 
close of the year will always give to it 
considerable interest. Then it also indicates 
the season of mid-winter ; although, whatever 
the assumption on that head, it is certain 
that the worst half of the winter always has 
to come after, and does not precede Christmas. 
That may he due to the fact that the influence 
of the summer season, with its heat and 
drought, does make itself felt for a lengthened 
period, even after the winter season has been 
some time -with us. If Christmas were really 
the middle of the winter time, we should 
have little to dread from British winters now, 
whatever they may have been in the days of 
our forefathers. 
Possibly, the old style of time reckoning 
did put Christmas more nearly into raid-winter 
really, because it was some twelve days later, 
and twelve days mean much in the winter 
season. However, as things go now, the 
winter prior to Christmas is seldom severe, and 
is often pleasant. This present season, for 
instance, shows rather softness and moisture 
than frost and severity—some pleasant days 
being sandwiched between many uncomfort¬ 
able ones. On the whole, however, the 
pre-Christmas season has been endurable, and 
not altogether unenjoy able. Xaturally, our 
thoughts centre on the nature of the weather 
which will mark the coming festive season. 
Writing a few days beforehand it would seem 
as if moist and stormy weather would pre¬ 
dominate, producing necessarily much dirt and 
discomfort ; though, perhaps, less of the 
discomfort which arises from severe cold. 
To those on pleasure bent only, and com¬ 
forted by plenty, hard frost accompanied by 
dry winds and cleanliness for the time would 
he most acceptable ; and, indeed, it is hard 
to admit hut that frost may not he a blessing 
in disguise for all. Still, frost, and especially 
hard frost, has its terrors not only for the 
poor but for the weak and the aged, and 
labour is so checked that much poverty and 
suffering must ensue. Literally, the sport, 
and, let us say, the seasonable sport, which the 
hard frost gives to the young and well-to-do, 
is little less than death to myriads of less- 
favoured creatures. It may be valueless to 
speculate on the probable nature of the winter 
weather, hut not only does common humanity 
make us desire that it will he soft and open, 
but the necessities of nature also demand it, 
for it is only through a soft and moist winter 
that we can hope to recoup to the subsoil 
that thorough wetting which it so much needs. 
Just now, however, neither literally nor 
metaphorically, do we wish to throw cold 
water, even in the form of rain, upon the 
natural aspirations which the season engenders. 
Were Christmas hut the sacred season, in the 
purely religious aspect, it would, in these days, 
receive but scant consideration. Were it—as 
even still too largely regarded—a mere festival 
season, a period of dissipation and repletion, 
we should exhibit for it scant regard. These 
are, however, the extremes of the few, but 
to the vast mass of the community Christmas 
presents itself as the season of social reunion, 
of social companionship, and domestic associ¬ 
ations of the happiest kind. That character 
of Christmas seems to prove the season’s 
strongest friend, for it has done more to make 
it the joyous season of the year than any 
other cause. 
Gardeners, and indeed all engaged in horticul¬ 
ture, find many calls upon them to contribute 
in numerous ways to this season of social 
enjoyment, and we are assured that they will 
do their part nobly. Somehow, it matters 
not when or what the season and celebration, 
flowers are ever in request, and the public 
demands them equally for the Christmas 
celebration as they do for the autumn harvest 
festival, or the summer junketing. That such 
is the case may well make the philosophic 
amongst us think upon the mutability of 
some things material, especially when under 
the influence of the world of fashion—a world 
so severely and yet so truthfully stigmatised 
the other day by the President of the Royal 
